Motorcycle Wheelie World Championships this weekend

Watch wild wheelies at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire

By Al Dowds

Tue, 14 Aug 2018

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TO BE honest, when we're watching terrifying wheelies, we're usually sat behind the handlebars. But there's a much safer way to spectate upon said stunts - get along to the Motorcycle Wheelie World Championships this weekend at Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire.

The Straightliners event is aimed at finding the rider who can manage the fastest wheelie over a kilometre. Judges watch the front wheel to check it stays off the deck over the measured distance, and speed lights measure the average speed over the 1,000 metres. Last year's winner was Ted Brady from Ireland, who managed 217mph - erk!

It's a fun event, with an open paddock and loads of amazing bikes to check out. Most are obviously massively powerful turbocharged beasties, with 500bhp a not-unusual output.